General Visa information

All applications are to be completed online. Procedures are as follows:

E VISA OR ELECTRONIC VISA: Please note that e-visa is issued for a maximum period of 60 days meant for only Tourist, Business and Medical purposes. Please apply online for e-visa at https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html High Commission does not have any role in issue of E-visas as it is issued directly from New Delhi. Its confirmation or otherwise will come to you in your E-mail within 72hrs. Kindly take a print along while travelling.

All e-Tourist visa applicants desiring to travel to India may kindly note that the correct website is indianvisaonline.gov.in

All applicants are requested not to deal with other websites that do not belong to the Government of India and therefore should not be relied for e-Visa services. High Commission does not have any role in issue of E-visas as it is issued directly from New Delhi. Its confirmation or otherwise will come to you in your E-mail. Kindly take a print along while travelling.

1. E-Visa has 5sub-categories i.e. e-Tourist visa, e-Business visa, e-Medical visa, e-Medical Attendant visa and e-Conference visa. A foreigner (other than those applying for e-Conference visa) will be permitted to club these categories. Foreigners applying for e-Conference visa will be permitted to club with e-Tourist visa only. Only 2 e-Medical Attendant visas will be granted against one e-Medical visa

2. The validity of e-Visa (except e-Conference visa) will be 60 days from the date of arrival in India. In case of e-Conference visa, the validity will be 30 days from the date of arrival in India. Double entry is permitted on e-Tourist visa and e-Business visa. Triple entry will be permitted on e-Medical visa and e-Medical Attendant visa. Only single entry is permitted on e-Conference visa.

3. E-Visa can be availed for maximum of three times in a calendar year i.e. between January to December.

REGULAR VISA: Please apply online for regular/other visa at www.indianvisaonline.gov.in take a print of the application and submit it with prior online appointment at the VFS centre along with visa fee, documentation etc. For detailed information, please see website of VFS www.vfsglobal.com/India/UK/.

EMERGENCY VISA: Please complete the application online at www.indianvisaonline.gov.in bring print of the application, application stating emergent reason, photo, passport and fees in cash to the High Commission of India, India House, Aldwych, London WC2B 4NA. Please see detailed information on the website www.hcilondon.in. Applicant can also call at 020 76323035 or 07768 765 035.

TRANSIT VISA

Purpose of enabling him/ her to travel through India to a destination outside India.

It will be valid for a single journey and for entry within 15 days from the date of issue.

A transit visa is not required by a foreigner passing through, in direct transit by air, and travelling onward through India, provided he/she does not leave the specified precincts of the airport.

A person travelling by sea is not required to hold a Transit visa as long as he does not leave the ship.

TOURIST VISA

A tourist visa is granted with the sole objective of visiting India for recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives.

Tourist visa shall be non-extendable and non-convertible.

MEDICAL VISA

A medical visa (MED Visa) is granted for an individual whose sole purpose is to seek medical treatment in established/recognized/specialized hospitals/treatment centres in India.

Applicant should submit the medical documents establishing the need for and the bonafides of taking medical treatment in India.

Attendants/ family members of the patient coming to India for medical treatment will be granted Medical Attendant visa (MED X visa) coterminous with the ‘Med Visa’ of the patient.

EMPLOYMENT VISA

An Employment visa is granted to a person who desires to come to India on employment.

The applicant should be highly skilled and/or qualified professional, who is being engaged or appointed by a company/ organization/ industry/ undertaking in India on contract or employment basis.

Applicant must submit proof of his/her employment or contract or engagement by the company/firm/organization in India.

Applicant must submit documentary proof of his educational qualifications and professional expertise.

Applicant should draw a gross salary in excess of Rs. 16.25 lakhs per annum. However, this condition of annual floor limit on income will not apply to:

(a) Ethnic cooks employed by foreign Missions in India (this will not apply to ethnic cooks employed in commercial venture),

(b) Language teachers (other than English language teachers) / translators (this will not include teachers employed to teach particular subjects in foreign language).

(c) Foreign artistes engaged to conduct regular performances for the duration of the employment contract given by Hotels, Clubs, other organizations;

(d) Foreign nationals who are coming to India to take up employment as coaches of national /state level teams or reputed sports clubs;

Note:

(i) The Employment Visa may be issued from the country of origin or from the country of domicile (except India) of the foreigner provided the period of permanent residence of the applicant in that particular country is more than 2 years. Family members / dependents of a foreigner who is granted Employment visa shall be granted Employment Dependent visa. Its validity shall be co-terminus with the validity of the visa of the principal visa holder.

Employment visa for individuals wishing to work with NGOs registered in India

Anyone who wishes to come to India for honorary work (without salary) with NGOs registered in India will be granted Employment Visa However, in such cases, the foreigners eligible for honorary work with the NGOs may be paid an honorarium upto a ceiling of Rs. 10,000 per month. Applicant must submit proof of his/her employment with the NGO registered in India.

PROJECT VISA

(1) The Visa would be project specific and, while issuing the visa, a specific endorsement would be made on the Visa sticker indicating the name of the project for which visa is issued and location of the project. In no circumstances would the person be allowed to be engaged in another project either of the same company or of a different company.

BUSINESS VISA

Business visas are issued to individuals who desire to come to India for technical meetings/discussions, attending Board meetings or general meetings for providing business services support, for consultations regarding exhibitions or for participation in exhibitions, trade fairs, business fairs etc., persons desiring to transact business with suppliers/ potential suppliers at locations in India, to evaluate or monitor quality, give specifications, place orders, negotiate further supplies etc., relating to goods or services procured from India.

Business Visa will be issued from the country of origin or from the country of habitual domicile of the foreigner (except India) provided the period of residence of that foreigner in that particular country is for more than 2 years.

Family members/dependants of Business visa holders will be granted Business dependent visa as the case may be depending on the type of Business visa granted to the principal visa holder. Its validity should be coterminous with the validity of the visa of the principal visa holder.

Individuals who are taken on contact to play in commercial sports events in India like Indian Premier League, Indian Soccer League, Indian Badminton League with remuneration will be granted BVS (Sports).

STUDENT AND RESEARCH VISA

A Student visa is granted to an individual who produces proof of admission to a full-time course in a recognized educational institution in India. In case of admission in a medical or para-medical course a letter of approval or a " No Objection Certificate" from the Ministry of Health should be submitted.

Note:

(1) No Student Visa will be issued if it is sponsored by franchise Educational Institutes running off-campus centres, Study Centres of Open Universities offering distance learning programmes, Educational Institutes running “outreach” programmes and offering courses without any statutory sanction from regulatory authorities.

(2) Student Visa will not be issued for pursuing ‘Short Term Courses’ which are not recognized.

A student visa will be granted for the duration of the course or for a period of one year, whichever is less, to students who want to come to India for theological studies in the following Universities/Institutions:

(1) Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

(2) University of Kolkatta.

(3) Jamia Hamdard, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi.

(4) Jamia Milia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi

(5) Osmania University, Hyderabad.

(6) Gujarat University, Ahmedabad.

(7) North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon.

(8) University of Calicut, Calicut.

(9) Kerala University, Thiruvananthapuram.

(10) University of Mumbai, Mumbai.

(11) M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara.

Research Scholar

An individual who desires to undertake research in India should apply giving the Synopsis, subject of the research, details of places to be visited, letter for recommendation/support from the institute in UK, Original letter of invitation from the Indian institute on their letterhead and evidence of source of funding.

Study of yoga/ vedic culture / Indian systems of dance / music

Individuals desirous of studying yoga, Vedic culture, Indian systems of dance / music etc., at the institutions approved by the Government of India for a period of 5 years/ 3 years/ 1 year as the case may be or for the duration of the course, can apply for Student visa.

ENTRY VISA

A Person of Indian Origin, who does not possess an OCI card, will be granted Entry Visa for a period of five years at a time, with multiple entry facility. Spouse and children of an Indian citizen/ Person of Indian Origin/ OCI cardholder (other than those who are registered as OCI cardholder) will be granted visa for a period of five years at a time, with multiple entry facility.

CONFERENCE VISA

Conference visa will be granted for international conferences held to discuss a particular subject or for a seminar or workshop on a specific subject. For Business meetings, to discuss business matters of a particular company/ organization and Board meetings, a foreigner may obtain either a Business Visa or e-Business Visa.

Prior clearance of the Ministry of Home Affairs for holding an event will be required only if the event has participants are from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan, foreigners of Pakistani origin and Stateless persons; and if participants of conferences /seminars/workshops who are required to visit ‘Restricted' or 'Protected' areas in India.

SPORTS VISA

Visas to participants of international sport events shall be issued only on production of the requisite clearance from the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.

Note : In respect of the above mentioned categories of international sports events, visa will be isssued to the participants only on production of - (i) requisite clearance from the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, (ii) clearance for holding the event from the Ministry of Home Affairs and (iii) political clearance for holding the event from the Ministry of External Affairs.

MOUNTAINEERING VISA

Individual desiring to go on Mountaineering expedition to India should contact Indian Mountaineering Foundation, C/O Ministry of Défense, New Delhi.

MISSIONARY VISA

Missionary visa is granted to individual whose sole objective is missionary work not involving preaching.

Visa Fee Structure

A revised visa fee structure for UK nationals would come in effect from February 1, 2017 as per the details tabulated below.

Sr No.

Visa Category

Visa Duration Up to One Year (Single / Multiple entry)

Visa Duration From One Year Up to Five Years (Multiple entries)

Visa Duration up to Ten Years (Multiple entries) July 18,2017

1

Tourist Visa

GBP 110

GBP 330

2

Business Visa

GBP 165

GBP 495

GBP 495

3

Entry Visa

GBP 110

GBP 330

4

Conference Visa

(up to 6 months)

GBP 61

5

Student Visa

(Up to 5 years)

GBP 156

6

Journalist Visa

(Up to 6 months)

GBP 61

7

Employment/Project Visa

Up to 6 months

Up to 1 year

Up to 2 Years

GBP 314

GBP 341

GBP 407

8

Medical/Escort Visa

GBP 88

9

Research Visa

Up to 3 years

GBP 156

10

Transfer of Visa

(All types)

GBP 113

11

Transit Visa

(Up to 3 months)

GBP 60

Applicants may please note that the above fee structure is exclusive of the Indian Community Welfare Fund fee of GBP 3 and the fee charged by service provider, which would remain applicable over and above the visa fee indicated above.

The existing visa fee structure for UK nationals with respect to categories of visas other than those tabulated above, remain unchanged.

Biometric: It is mandatory for the following category of applicants to undergo Biometric while applying for visa:

Employment visa

Journalist Visa

Research Visa

Student Visa

Visit Visa (applicable for Pakistan nationals only)

Project Visa

Missionary visa

Business visa for five years

Business visa for 10 years

Tourist visa for five years.

Note: The practice of accepting visa applications on handwritten or non-Machine Readable passports is hereby discontinued with immediate effect, except in cases requiring emergency visits to India. However, nationals of Afghanistan, applying on Afghan non-machine readable / handwritten passports are exempted from this requirement till November 24, 2017.

The High Commission of India, London and Consulate General of India, Birmingham and Edinburgh have outsourced their visa services to the external service provider M/S VFS Global. All applicants, other than those seeking Emergency Visas or those holding UN/Diplomatic/Official passports, are required to fill the online visa application form through the authorized website (www.indianvisaonline.gov.in ) and lodge their applications with our sole service partner M/S VFS Global Holdings Ltd. For more information please visit http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk High Commission of India and the Consulates will not be responsible for transactions made with any other websites or agents. The procedure for applicants seeking Emergency Visas or holders of UN/Diplomatic/Official passports is detailed at the bottom of this page.

When applying for a visa, the validity of Passport should be at least for next 180 days or more. The passport must have at least two blank pages and should not be Mutilated / damaged / tampered in any manner.

Suppression of facts and information will not only result in delay/ or denial of visa applied for but will also debar the applicant from applying under this system in future.

Visa processing fee once deposited shall not be refunded. Fee should be deposited only after ascertaining all relevant details of the visa, as applicable to the purpose of travel.

Acceptance of visa application does not automatically guarantee grant of a visa. The visa application may be accepted, modified or refused by the High Commission in its full right. Decision of the High Commission of India, London in the matter shall be final.

Each visa application is processed individually by the High Commission. As a result processing times may vary between applications that appear to be similar. It is common for families and groups who have submitted their applications simultaneously to receive their visas with a few days gap.

Certain visa categories go through a closer examination requiring additional time to process. The High Commission reserves the right to withhold any application submitted for an in-depth examination.

Processing time of applications received from persons of Pakistani origin could take 7-8 weeks or more. Processing time for applications from Pakistani nationals/those holding dual nationality can be substantially longer. All applicants of Pakistani origin who hold dual nationality must apply for an Indian Visa on their Pakistani passport. Those who have either renounced Pakistani nationality or cancelled their Pakistani passport would need to submit documentary proof in this regard.

The practice of appending manual signature and affixing stamp on visa stickers have been dispensed with and the visa stickers now carry ‘ghost’ imaging and other security features.

The duration and number of entries granted to the applicant will be solely at the discretion of the High Commission/Consulates. No claims and correspondences shall be entertained in this regard.

Visa is valid from the date of issue and not from the date of travel.

It is strongly advised that applicants do not make any travel arrangements before obtaining an Indian visa. The High Commission of India cannot, in any circumstances, be held responsible for any application which is not completed in time for your intended date of departure.

Note: The High Commission has not appointed or authorized any other agency or individual agent to render any service on behalf of the High Commission other than M/s. VFS Global (www.vfsglobal.com/India/UK/)and it shall not be responsible for any transaction made with unauthorized agencies / agents.